13 May 2015

Trenchant observations on American foreign policy

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during
that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big
Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a
gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico
safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a
decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I
helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the
benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International
Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the
Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped
make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China
in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested.
Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best
he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on
three continents." -- Smedley Butler

1954 Guatemala - The CIA overthrows the
democratically elected Jacob Arbenz in a military coup. Arbenz is
replaced with a series of facist dictators whose bloodthirsty policies
will kill over 100,000 Guatemalans in the next 40 years. Non of them are
democratically elected.1959 Haiti- The U.S. military helps "Papa Doc" Duvalier become dictator of Haiti. Not democratically elected1961 Ecuador - The CIA-backed military forces the
democratically elected President Jose Velasco to resign. Vice President
Carlos Arosemana replaces him; the CIA fills the now vacant vice
presidency with its own man. (who is a rightwing nut and is not
democratically elected)1963 Dominican Republic - The CIA overthrows the
democratically elected Juan Bosch in a military coup. The CIA installs a
repressive, right-wing junta. (not democratically elected)1963 Ecuador - A CIA-backed military coup overthrows
President Arosemana, whose independent (not socialist) policies have
become unacceptable to Washington. A military junta assumes command.
(not democratically elected)1964 Brazil - A CIA-backed military coup overthrows
the democratically elected government of Joao Goulart. Puts a millitary
junta in power (Not democratically elected) and later it is revealed
that the CIA trains the death squads of General Castelo Branco (who is
one of the facist dictators US puts in power).1965 Dominican Republic- A popular rebellion breaks
out, promising to reinstall Juan Bosch as the country's elected leader.
The revolution is crushed when U.S. Marines land to uphold the military
regime by force. The CIA directs everything behind the scenes. Openly
protect facist dictator that they had put in power AGAINST the wishes of
the people.1971 Bolivia - After half a decade of CIA-inspired
political turmoil, a CIA-backed military coup overthrows the leftist
President Juan Torres. In the next two years, dictator Hugo Banzer will
have over 2,000 political opponents arrested without trial, then
tortured, raped and executed. (The dictator is not democratically
elected either)1973 Chile - The CIA overthrows and assassinates
Salvador Allende, Latin America's first democratically elected socialist
leader. The CIA replaces Allende with General Augusto Pinochet, who
will torture and murder thousands of his own countrymen in a crackdown
on labor leaders and the political left. (not democratically elected)Between 1973 and 1986 there are many different attempts to
put facist dictators in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. But they
mainly fail and just leads to civil war without US getting their facist
puppet governments.1986 Haiti- Rising popular revolt in Haiti means
that "Baby Doc" Duvalier will remain "President for Life" only if he has
a short one. The U.S., which hates instability in a puppet country,
flies the despotic Duvalier to the South of France for a comfortable
retirement. The CIA then rigs the upcoming elections in favor of another
right-wing military strongman. However, violence keeps the country in
political turmoil for another four years. The CIA tries to strengthen
the military by creating the National Intelligence Service (SIN), which
suppresses popular revolt through torture and assassination. (this does
not happen by popular demand or democratic elections)1989 Panama - The U.S. invades Panama to overthrow a
dictator of its own making, General Manuel Noriega. Noriega has been on
the CIA's payroll since 1966, and has been transporting drugs with the
CIA's knowledge since 1972. By the late 80s, Noriega's growing
independence and intransigence have angered Washington ... so out he
goes. (Noriega was not democratically elected and his removal was not
done by democratic means either, just US being US)1990 Haiti - Competing against 10 comparatively
wealthy candidates, leftist priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide captures 68
percent of the vote. After only eight months in power, however, the
CIA-backed military deposes him and put facist dictators to rule Haiti.
(not democratically elected)2002 Venezuela - The CIA attempts to overthrow the
democratically elected government of Venezuela. America attempted to put
Millitary dictators in power, however, the coup soon unravels when
thousands of anti-coup protesters surround the presidential palace
demanding Hugo Chavez's reinstatement.And this is ONLY what the CIA admits to. [note this list includes only actions in the Americas, not Asia or the Middle East]

Two extended excerpts from a Reddit thread discussing the Pope's recent comment that "many powerful people don't want peace because they live off war."

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